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Tessa Virtue
Tessa Virtue (born May 17, 1989 in London, Ontario) is a Canadian Ice dancer. She currently competes with Scott Moir. They are the 2008 & 2009 Canadian national champions, the 2008 Four Continents Champions, and 2006 World Junior Champions. Personal life Tessa Virtue was born in London, Ontario, Canadian. She is the youngest of four children. She currently lives and trains in Canton, Michigan, USA, although her official residence remains London. Career Virtue and Moir began skating together in 1997. In the 2001-2002 season, they won the bronze medal at Junior Canadians at the novice level. In 2003, they placed 7th at Canadians in the junior division. In 2003-2004, they made their Junior Grand Prix debut. They didn't place at either of their events. At Nationals, they won the Junior title, qualifying them for the team to the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, where they placed 11th. The following season, they moved up to senior nationally but remained juniors internationally. They won one of their Junior Grand Prix assignments, placed second at another, and won the silver medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final. At Canadians, they placed fourth in their senior debut. They went to Junior Worlds again, where they placed 2nd. Because the 2005-2006 season was the Olympic season and they had a chance of making the Olympic team, many thought they should go senior. However, they remained Junior internationally for one final season. They won both their Junior Grand Prix events and then won the Junior Grand Prix Final. They won the bronze medal at Canadian Nationals, missing an Olympic berth by one spot. They were named as first alternates to the Olympic team. However, having only a junior record, they may not have been sent to the Olympics anyway. Following Nationals, they went to the Four Continents Champions, where they won the bronze medal -- their first senior international medal -- and qualified themselves as alternates. They went on to Junior Worlds for one last time and won it. They are the first Canadian ice dancers to win the World Junior title. In 2006-2007, they moved up to the senior division. They won the silver medal at Skate Canada and placed 4th at the Trophée Eric Bompard in France. At Nationals, they won the silver medal, and repeated their bronze medal finish at Four Continents. In their debut at the World Figure Skating Championships, they placed 6th, the debut highest placement of a Canadian team in decades. At the 2008 World Figure Skating Championship in Sweden, Virtue and Moir won the silver medal, winning the free dance program with their spectacular skating to the Umbrellas of Cherbourg soundtrack. Although they hoped to have a strong 08-09 season, Virtue underwent surgery on her legs after discovering that she had a rare condition that prevented her muscles from expanding and contracting properly. They planned to appear at NHK Trophy, but she still had not recovered in time. They returned to competition at the 2009 Canadian National Championships and won the gold medal. Still recovering, they competed at 4 Continents, winning the silver medal behind training partners Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Programs Competitive highlights (with Moir) *N = Novice level; J = Junior level References * External links *Official Site *Skate Canada Profile *Care to Ice Dance? - Virtue & Moir Category:Canadian figure skaters